69586


I see 初級 Written mostly in books which means beginner or elementary level, the
other two were written on the same page for a drawing course I found online as
"入門者向け" and "初心者向け", but I don't see any difference between the 3 and how to
properly use them.


CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-19T11:40:44.937
69585
2023-11-24T11:54:26.910
2023-11-24T10:46:09.570
32787
32787
question
meaning word-choice usage nuances
What's the difference between 初心者, 入門者 and 初級者


"入門者向け" is used when you should be instructed by teacher , instructor, person
who can teach properly.

"初心者向け" can be used by when you have just started to practice sports, video
games, etc. When you use it, you do not need a person who certify your level
of sports, video games, etc.

"初級者向け" is used when the level of something already set, such as books of
kanji handwritings, ski courses and so on.


CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-19T11:59:07.757
69586
2019-07-19T11:59:07.757
34735
69585
answer


The nuance naturally reveals itself by considering the core meanings of the
individual kanji.

We can consider 者向け first because it is common to all these terms, and quite
straightforward.

[向]{む}け is basically just a suffix meaning "intended for", and [者]{しゃ} is a
suffix for "person" (i.e., someone who is described by the rest of the noun
phrase).

[入門]{にゅうもん}: the core meanings are "enter" + "gate", so the sense is really "
_introductory_ ", rather than "beginner(-level)". Metaphorically, this seems
to describe the entrance to some sort of academy; a 〜者 who 入門 is therefore one
who has become a disciple or pupil.

[初心]{しょしん}: 初心者 is probably the most common word for "beginner". 初 is related
to 始, and the core sense is "begin" or "first". 心 is literally "heart", more
metaphorically "spirit; true nature; inner strength". A 〜者 who 初心 is one who
has metaphorically set out on a journey of improvement, who has that initial
intent to develop a skill or learn a concept. This can therefore include
someone engaged in self-study.

[初級]{しょきゅう}: 初 is as before. 級 is commonly rendered as "grade", in the sense
of graded study material. It's part of the [kyu-dan rating
system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_\(rank\)) seen in competitive
sports, board games such as go and shogi, etc. Therefore, a 〜者 who 初級 is one
who has begun the process of certification through various [級]{きゅう} ranks that
signify understanding of the fundamentals, before reaching [段]{だん} ranks that
honour increasing levels of mastery.


CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-24T11:54:26.910
101799
2023-11-24T11:54:26.910
627
69585
answer